European Heritage Days - Fontvieille

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19: PRESENTATION OF THE ALTAR OF THE HOMELAND

Patriotic ceremony under the auspices of the Town Hall.
Inscribed as a Historic Monument and a nearly unique example of its kind, the altar of the homeland, a simple carved and hollowed block, nonetheless goes unnoticed in the rich heritage ensemble of Fontvieille.

Erected on June 8, 1794, during a republican ceremony, the altar symbolizes the allegiance of the inhabitants to their homeland as well as the emergence of a new cult, that of the Supreme Being decreed by Robespierre.
In the 1930s, Jules Auvergne, a local historian, described this monument: "This block was topped with a tree of liberty, one can still see the trace of a hand, palm inwards, taking the oath and inlaid with some leaves of a laurel crown."

11 AM above the parking lot of the path of the mills.
Free and open to all.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20: INVITATION TO DISCOVER THE GARDENS OF YVONNE

Presentation of the developments of this garden by the Mayor and the launch of works for the Roman aqueducts and the hydraulic plant of Barbegal.
Guided tour of the garden, meetings, and exchanges.

11 AM - 1 PM Cours Hyacinthe Bellon
Exceptional and free opening.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY: DAUDET MUSEUM / CHÂTEAU DE MONTAUBAN

Continuous opening from 10 AM to 6 PM.
Free and open visits.
Interactive stations along the exhibition route.
Flash visits on the first floor "Detours through the Middle Ages" in 5-10 minutes (Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM).
Bookstore space, shop, souvenirs.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY: THE WINDMILLS OF FONTVIEILLE
Free visits to the Sourdon and Tissot-Avon mills -
2 PM - 6 PM.

The Sourdon mill, nicknamed "the fallen mill," as it was the first of the four village mills to lose its roof, is located on the small hill to the right as you ascend the path of the Pines. A notarial deed specifies that it already existed in 1791. It ceased operations around 1870 and was restored in 2015 by the municipality.

The Tissot-Avon mill: It is the closest to the Château de Montauban, the vacation spot of Alphonse Daudet. It was built in the early 19th century and operated until 1905. In 1866, in one of his correspondences with Timoléon Ambroy (owner of the Château de Montauban), Daudet wrote: "It would really be the case to buy the mill of Father Tissot; I will talk to him when I go there. Honor compels me to have a mill."
Despite this desire, closer to fantasy than reality, Alphonse Daudet never became the owner of a mill in Fontvieille.
The Tissot mill was restored in 2016 by the municipality.

Prices: Free.

Contact Information:
Phone: 04 90 54 67 49
Email: fontvieille@alpillesenprovence.com

Find all practical information and plan your visit.